Vermeer's The Concert

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

A valuable stolen painting has been recovered after a police sting operation in Belfast.

Going Home, by William Conor, was taken from the James Wray Gallery in James Street South last month.

The artwork is valued between £20,000 and £30,000.

A member of staff from the gallery called police after someone contacted him claiming that there were ways in which the painting could be returned.

One man has been arrested in connection with the theft but has since been released on bail.

Art Hostage comments:

Yes, there are ways to recover stolen art without getting arrested, and even getting paid a fee for services rendered.

First of all there was not any public offer of a reward for the recovery of this William Connor painting, so anyone requesting a reward is breaking the 2002 Proceeds of crime act and this is also covered by the laws governing extortion demands.

Second, if the person requesting payment does not stand up to scrutiny by, in this instance, the Police in the Northern part of the island of Ireland, then no payment will be made.

Thirdly, Police seem to have adopted a policy of arresting anyone helping facilitate the return of stolen art, before bailing them to a later date, or as with the Bill Reid icons stolen in British Columbia, Canada, arresting then releasing the returnees.

To have achieved any kind of reward for the recovery of this artwork the returnee would have to accept what ever is offered post recovery and not make any request or demand of a certain figure.

Then, the returnee would have to satisfy Police they were not involved with the theft and subsequent handling, then after receiving a letter from Police confirming this, they can then receive what ever is offered, no right of appeal.

To satisfy Police the returnee would have to be party to the sting operation and would also have to give evidence at any future trial, against the very people the returnee has negotiated with in order to return the stolen artwork.

If the returnee had met these conditions in this case they would have received about 10% of the lowest estimate, or 10% of the insurance claim, which ever is lower.

It is my understanding those with the stolen Vermeer from the Gardner museum have taken note of this stolen art recovery and will consider it in their deliberations on how to get rid of the Vermeer from their clutches, without getting themselves arrested, or left without neither Vermeer or money owed against it.

In the meantime Police tracking the stolen Gardner art are getting ever more confident they can recover the stolen Vermeer from the Gardner Museum by conducting a raid and arresting those in possession. The several current sting attempts are ongoing and they may result in the Vermeer and co being recovered during a supposed handover of money for the art in traditional sting fashion, at smart hotel, a country retreat, or a lay by on a isolated road.

However, Art Hostage to the rescue, the option of keeping the Vermeer and co in the underworld is becoming a bit of a millstone around the neck, so to speak.

"Headache" stolen art, that is what the Gardner art has become.

The historic trophy value of handling the stolen Gardner art has long gone and now most people who have been involved at one time or another are mightily relieved to be rid of the stolen Gardner art.

The window for the current handler of the stolen Gardner art, Vermeer, is fast closing and if action is not taken then they will be left without Vermeer or money owed.

The only sensible thing left to do is make the hand back on your terms, by that I mean make sure the Vermeer and co are placed in a Catholic Church confession box to be discovered by the Priest. The person who is tasked with taking the Vermeer and co to the Catholic Church confession box must not, I repeat, must not have had anything to to do with the original Gardner Heist, or and more importantly, not been involved in the subsequent handling of the Vermeer and co.

Once the Vermeer and co have been discovered, then the nominee can claim, via the Priest, or alongside the Priest, the publicly advertised $5million reward offered by the Gardner Museum.

I would like to say however, if it is only the Vermeer the reward may be $2.5 million, as it is the most valuable of all of the stolen Gardner art. The Rembrandt Storm on the Sea of Galilee would be $1.5 million, and the rest of the stolen Gardner art would be $1million.

Guys, you know who I mean, it is time to contact Anthony Amore, Head of security at the Gardner Museum, Boston 617 278 5114. Forget all the other Golden promises, Anthony Amore is ready to talk Turkey, he will even drop everything, grab his passport and attend a meeting.

Art Hostage has done as much as he can, explained all the pitfalls, found a suitable place to hand back the Vermeer and co, without leaving any trace, Catholic Church confession box, offered up Anthony Amore, who really can offer an avenue for payment.

All that is left is finding your nominee who can stand up to Police scrutiny and claim the reward without any fear of prosecution because they have genuinely not been involved, other than just returning the Vermeer and co to the Catholic Church confession box.

At least then there is a good chance of the reward being collected, even worse way a legal battle could commence to force the reward payment, and if the Catholic church is involved the reward would be paid to save any embarrassment and shame created by reward refusal.

I confidently predict that if the Vermeer and co are not returned via a Catholic church confession box then they will turn up in a Police raid leaving the handler without Vermeer and co and perhaps more importantly, without monies owed against the Vermeer.

Heads, you could lose, tails you definitely lose, Vermeer, money, and possibly Liberty.

Something to think about as the clock is ticking.

Update:

The Stolen Gardner Art is firmly in a cul-de-sac with nowhere to go but back to the Gardner Museum Boston.

If you will allow Art Hostage to play Devil's Advocate for a brief moment.

The Vermeer and co are in my possession owing me outstanding money for drug deals that have been intercepted.

Now, the American millionaire offering to buy the Vermeer and co, probably FBI Icon Robert Wittman.

The Eastern European Godfather millionaire offering to buy the Vermeer and co, probably Rocky, who recovered the stolen Turners from Germany.

The Underworld contact offering to buy the Vermeer and co, probably he is in trouble and is making a deal to sting you, whist receiving a lesser sentence for his efforts.

When the guys come back to pay off the debt owed against the Vermeer and co, Special Branch, FBI and Police will be watching and all of you will get arrested.

You see the pattern developing here, the Vermeer and co have outlasted their usefulness in the Underworld and when the music stops and they are recovered, someone will be left holding a debt or owing a debt.

Arguments will follow, shootings may occur, people could lose their lives, criminal business will be disrupted, other Godfathers will be angry because of all the heat the Vermeer and co have generated, and so on, and on....

The final two options left are one, keep the Vermeer and co hidden, although this is just going to generate heat and the possibility of loss increases all the time as Police devote more resources to finding the Vermeer and co.

or second take the Catholic church confession box route with a nominee claiming the reward.

This will give you "Some" Chance of a reward, any other option will give you "No" chance of reward, and could cost you your liberty as well.

But go ahead, ignore the advice of Art Hostage enter into some kind of deal and get stung, arrested, keep the Vermeer and co hidden and risk their discovery, a thought that hangs over you like the Sword of Damocles, no, you must be a pragmatic intelligent person to have come this far in your career, possession of the Vermeer and co risks flushing all you have achieved down the toilet.

Oh and in case you are wondering, Art Hostage could claim the reward for handing back the Vermeer and co. if you offered the Vermeer and co to Art Hostage to hand back.

I would have to decline, why, well imagine Art Hostage trying to hand back the Vermeer and co and saying they were found behind the bike shed ?

Art Hostage would get a slap around the face by Vernon "The Bookkeeper" Rapley, FBI Icon Robert Wittman, Tricky Dick Ellis Mark "The Elitist" Dalrymple, and Julian Radcliffe.

Art Hostage would then be sent packing without so much as a thank you and the threat of prosecution ringing in his ears.

You see, Art Hostage is not trying to hoodwink, sting or other-wise.

No golden hello's from Art Hostage, no golden promises, just an untraceable venue to hand back the Vermeer and co, Catholic church confession box, and the advice to to give Anthony Amore a chance to explain how you may receive the reward.

Finally, if you feel confident in you nominee then just go ahead and facilitate the recovery of the Vermeer and co via the Catholic church confession box and start the ball rolling with the reward claim.

If Art Hostage is writing how the Vermeer and co have been recovered as a result of a sting, or recovered during a police raid, then you will only have yourself to blame, as I have tried till I'm Blue in the face to tell you to hand them back before they get snatched back.